May 18th, 2007
A Trusting Lamb
“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”
John 10:10
Those of you who have been in our church have seen the two beautiful stain glass windows which ornament our sanctuary. One is a depiction of Jesus the Shepherd leading his sheep while cradling a small lamb nestled in the crook of his arm. The other displays a glorious Jesus surrounded by angels descending to earth as the reigning King. When sitting in the pews these two large windows don’t get much attention, but get up on the platform and suddenly they pop out as the primary focal points of the sanctuary. At least, they catch my attention!
In the past my position in the praise team put me looking straight into the window showing Jesus as King, a victorious sovereign with power and beauty. Sunday after Sunday as we played and sang, I would look up at that window and be overwhelmed with the awesomeness of the One we were worshiping. Then, a few weeks ago we changed positions.
Now I stand facing the Shepherd Jesus. I must admit, the first couple of Sundays in that position I focused more on playing, singing and staying together as a group than on getting beyond the music into the worship. However, last Sunday as we sang I looked up at that window and suddenly joyful sadness overwhelmed me. In fact, I actually fought back tears as I sang “Blessed Be Your Name” – a song about how God is in control, but not as some all-powerful superhero who just moves us around at his whim. Although he could just randomly create disturbances or joys in our lives, instead he methodically moves events and people into and out of our lives just as a chess player moves his pawns. However, there’s a difference. This Jesus, the creator and sustainer of the world as we know it, moves with love. That’s what cascaded over me as I looked at the window on Sunday. I was looking at a God who gently carries a baby lamb, who guides those sheep who so trustingly gaze up at their leader. The tears came because of the love that I saw in that depiction of Jesus and the knowledge that that love shown for that sheep is actually the love the Shepherd has for you and I. Now, I wouldn’t have relayed that story except for what I read today in John which fits in so perfectly!
John 10 is the famous passage where Jesus compares himself to a shepherd while those who follow him are the sheep. This is the image the window portrays. However, a few verses before he compares himself to the shepherd he uses other pastoral imagery to show his love and care. In these verses Jesus compares himself to the gate that protects the sheep. However, this is not a gate that holds the sheep in so they cannot move or enjoy themselves. No, this gate protects the sheep but is open, “Yes, I am the gate….They (the sheep) will come and go freely and will find good pastures. The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” (John 10:9-10) Give who a rich (we’re not talking monetary gain here!) and satisfying life? His sheep. Those he moves around, guides, rescues, comforts, heals, loves.
Next time you are in our sanctuary, take a moment to look at those beautiful stain glass windows. Don’t worship them – they are just windows. But worship the Jesus who they depict – powerful, awesome, mighty and loving, gentle, comforting.